NFL's top 25 games of 2024

Wed May 15 2:01pm ET
Field Level Media

Christmas Day for NFL marketing and ticket sales departments finally arrived Wednesday with the release of the 2024 season schedule.

With subplots and peripheral angles multiplying before our eyes - hello, Netflix, welcome to NFL holiday football broadcasts - Field Level Media's football-minded contributors assembled the top 25 games of 2024.

24. Cardinals at Jets, TBD: We're grabbing our popcorn for one matchup, and one matchup alone: Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner. Top five draft picks likely to be near the top of the pecking order at their position for a decade.

23. Colts at Patriots, TBD: Drake Maye, the No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft, meet Anthony Richardson, drafted fourth overall in 2023. Indianapolis appeared to have a hit on its hands before Richardson was shut down to undergo shoulder surgery. If he can stay healthy and Maye isn't relegated to clipboard duty behind former Colts starter Jacoby Brissett, we're eager to make early evaluations of purported franchise QBs.

22. Jaguars at Eagles, TBD: Young QBs and strong pass rush are common bonds, sure, but the plotline we're looking at is the reception for Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson. He played for the Eagles (1999) but was essentially a coach-in-training for Donovan McNabb, then served as an assistant for Andy Reid and came back from a stint in KC for a five-year run that included a Super Bowl.

21. Bears at Texans, TBD: The Bears also get a meeting with the Carolina Panthers for the second consecutive season. With all due respect to Panthers 2023 No. 1 pick Bryce Young, the top rookie quarterback last season was Houston's C.J. Stroud. His numbers would have been the best ever single-season passing total for a Bears QB (4,108 to Erik Kramer's team record of 3,803). Stroud had 26 TD passes including the playoffs despite missing time with a concussion). The Bears hitched their wagon to No. 1 pick Caleb Williams with the rookie carrying massive talent - and expectations - in Year 1.

20. Vikings at Giants, TBD: All of the QB uncertainty one can handle on the undercard, LSU products Justin Jefferson (Vikings) and Malik Nabers (Giants) in the main event.

19. 49ers at Seahawks, TBD: Maybe you overlooked it. There's not a chance Brock Purdy did. He knows new Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald's defense - that of the Ravens - had him seeing ghosts in a five-interception laugher on Christmas Night last season. Macdonald's new club has a bunch of cross-training chess pieces determined to unseat the 49ers from the NFC West perch.

18. Jets at 49ers, Sept. 9: Week 1 on "Monday Night Football" is a familiar refrain for the Jets, who are hoping Aaron Rodgers has some magic left following a season-ending injury four snaps into his first start with the team in 2023. Rodgers is local - Chico, Calif., Butte JC and Cal - and went 6-3 against the 49ers with the Packers. Now 40 years old, he'll try to tip the scales toward the Jets, who are 3-11 all-time in the series with San Francisco. Jets head coach Robert Saleh has known 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan since breaking into the NFL as a low-level assistant with the Texans 15 years ago and was defensive coordinator on his staff before taking over with the Jets.

17. Cowboys at Commanders, TBD: Dan Quinn gets his second chance as a head coach in Washington and to be the champ in the NFC East, he'll have to take down his previous employer and boss, the Cowboys and Mike McCarthy. Given the amount of time Quinn spent with McCarthy and Dak Prescott, don't discount the level of concern the Cowboys have entering two games with Washington.

16. Eagles vs. Packers (Brazil), Sept. 6: The youngest roster in the NFL last season belonged to the Packers, and nobody can fault what Green Bay did in the offseason. Head coach Matt LaFleur debuts his offense with Josh Jacobs at running back and a new-look defense. It'll also be a big reveal game for the Eagles, unleashing their own big-ticket offseason item, Saquon Barkley, and a number of new faces on defense.

15. Falcons at Vikings, TBD: Welcome back, Kirk Cousins, congratulations on finding a team that didn't want to invest in a young quarterback to insure its $100M guarantee to a 35-year-old starter coming off an Achilles injury. Oops. Cousins could be hailed or hated for bailing on the Vikings in free agency following 50 regular-season wins in six seasons of Skol-ing.

14. Ravens at Chargers, TBD: Los Angeles and new hire Jim Harbaugh welcome John Harbaugh and the Ravens with entertainment expected to be rich before, during and after a matchup of AFC heavyweights. John Harbaugh won the last meeting and survived a brief power outage at the Super Bowl in New Orleans to take home the Lombardi and deal Jim's 49ers a painful defeat.

13. Steelers at Broncos, Week 2: Revenge games bring out the spirit and emotion you might not otherwise find in games that don't include Mike Tomlin. Pittsburgh picked up Russell Wilson after he was scrapped at a cost north of $80 million to Denver by second-year head coach Sean Payton. Payton, of course, is still in town and brought in a rookie, Oregon's Bo Nix, to train in the system that helped make Drew Brees a legend. Don't look now, but Pittsburgh had a sneaky excellent offseason while the Broncos shed leaders and linchpins on both sides of the ball (Wilson, Justin Simmons, Jerry Jeudy). If reunions are your thing, Payton also heads back to New Orleans this season.

12. Jets at Bills, Week 17: We know they'll get an earlier go at each other on "Monday Night Football" In October, but let's give the season time to breath and Aaron Rodgers time to round back into form. He'll be recently removed from his 41st birthday but should know the names of all of his wide receivers, a task Josh Allen might need more time to complete.

11. Ravens at Cowboys, TBD: Dak Prescott was great at home last season and Dallas fortified the offensive line through the draft. Whether new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has an answer for mobile quarterbacks - namely Lamar Jackson - might be the hot-button issue for the Cowboys. Baltimore's No. 1-ranked defense in 2023 also traveled well last season, battering Brock Purdy, Trevor Lawrence and Justin Herbert and limiting those three teams to a combined 36 points in Ravens' road wins.

10. 49ers at Packers, Nov. 24: Week 12 and the start of a pivotal, NFC-dominated, primetime featured stretch for Green Bay with nighttime marquee matchups at Detroit (Week 14) and Seattle (Week 15) ahead. Jordan Love's two interceptions stopped the Packers short of an upset at San Francisco in the divisional playoffs in January.

9. Texans at Cowboys, TBD: C.J. Stroud appears to be special and the Texans made sure his supporting cast wouldn't be a reason for a sophomore slump. But one warning: only the Bills and Patriots have a more difficult schedule based on 2023 results and offseason moves. Among the appealing underlying matchups: Houston wide receiver Stefon Diggs vs. Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs.

8. Bears at Packers, Jan. 5: The Week 18 finale was meaningful for Green Bay last season, and Jordan Love guided the Packers into the postseason to sweep the Bears and continue the trend Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers started. No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams makes his first foray into the likely frozen tundra. Will the Bears be playing for more than a spoiler token?

7. Dolphins at 49ers, TBD: It was Dec. 4, 2022, and far more meaningful than we knew at the time when a seventh-round rookie - 49ers QB Brock Purdy - made his first career start with two TD passes in a 33-17 home win over the Miami Dolphins. Back to the scene come the Dolphins with former 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel a solid bet to share some unknown intel about old boss Kyle Shanahan in the game week buildup.

6. Ravens at Chiefs, Sept. 5: Had this one been bumped back a couple months to multiply the meaningfulness in the standings and AFC playoff picture, it had an angle on a top three game of the 2024 regular season. Lamar Jackson vs. Patrick Mahomes remains must-see for all the right reasons.

5. 49ers at Bills, Dec. 4: The week-after-Thanksgiving primetime game on Sunday of Week 13 should be meaningful for teams with Super Bowl aspirations.

4. Rams at Lions, TBD: Two franchises on schedule to combine for more than $350 million in deposits into Jared Goff's bank account are back at it with Detroit out to duplicate their playoff win in January over one-time Lions QB Matthew Stafford.

3. Ravens at Eagles, TBD: Star power on display? Check-check. Potential Super Bowl preview? Sure thing. Saquon Barkley (Eagles) and Derrick Henry (Ravens) add firepower to a pair of offenses with explosive potential.

2. Lions at 49ers, TBD: Other than tackle eligible, think of another phrase that could spike Dan Campbell's temperature more than "at San Francisco." Didn't think so. The Lions were halfway to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl leading the 49ers handily in the NFC Championship but coughed up a 17-point lead and bowed out of the playoffs in a 34-31 defeat instead. If Campbell circled this game on the schedule in ink, we're guessing you can't read it.

1. (tie) Chiefs at 49ers, TBD: Familiar enough to be rivals, the Chiefs left with the jewels in recent games that really mattered between teams with a combined 50-18 record the past two regular seasons. San Francisco took a lashing from the Chiefs, 44-23, at home in Oct. 23 before the dawning of the Brock Purdy era.

1. (tie) Bengals at Chiefs, TBD: Don't forget Joe Burrow, he's more than the highest-paid player in 2024. The Bengals quarterback is 3-1 against the Chiefs but was sidelined with a broken wrist when the teams played in 2023. Don't look for a warm reception in Kansas City, where fans aren't soon to forget Burrow's boys calling the Chiefs' stadium "Burrow-head" based on his success at the home of Patrick Mahomes.

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The Paur Report

Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 12

Player Notes
Harold Fannin Jr. Nov 18 7:00pm CT
Harold Fannin Jr.

Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. has been inconsistent during his rookie campaign. To be fair, it's not easy to be a consistent contributor in this Browns offense that has been struggling as a whole. The good news is, Fannin has seen five targets or more in each of his last five games. Last week, Fannin hauled in two of his five targets for 26 yards in the loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The 21-year-old hasn't been productive every week, but is worthy of a look as a deep league option for the upcoming Week 12 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.

From RotoBaller

Adonai Mitchell Nov 18 6:50pm CT
Adonai Mitchell

New York Jets wide receiver Adonai Mitchell made his team debut against the New England Patriots last week. Mitchell was traded to the Jets in the deal that sent defensive back Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts. Mitchell didn't have a ton of time to learn the playbook, but was immediately heavily involved in the passing attack. Mitchell was targeted six times, but was only able to haul in one of those passes for 10 yards in the loss. The result obviously isn't good, but the six targets is promising for Mitchell. The Jets are without Garrett Wilson (knee), so someone needs to step up for this team. The 23-year-old figures to get a decent amount of chances down the stretch for the Jets. Mitchell could be worth a look as a deep league option as he continues to build chemistry with his new quarterback.

From RotoBaller

Parker Washington Nov 18 6:40pm CT
Parker Washington

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington has seen an increased role in the offense over the last few weeks. Fellow wideout Brian Thomas Jr. (ankle) has been sidelined the last few games, which has led to more playing time for Washington. Sadly, Washington gave fantasy managers a dud this past weekend. He hauled in both his targets for 20 yards in the win over the Los Angeles Chargers. To be fair, Washington didn't likely get many chances due to the fact the Jags were blowing them out. The expectation is that Washington will have a larger role against the Arizona Cardinals this weekend. His role in the offense could be reduced if Thomas gets back on the field. However, Washington is still worth a look as a possible flex option.

From RotoBaller

Kaleb Johnson Nov 18 6:30pm CT
Kaleb Johnson

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson has seen a minimal role in the offense during his rookie season. However, Johnson could see an increased role this week. Lead back Jaylen Warren (ankle) is currently uncertain to suit up against the Chicago Bears in Week 12. If he sits, Kenneth Gainwell figures to take over as the lead back with Johnson presumably being the backup. Last week, Johnson rushed the ball five times for 15 yards in the win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Gainwell is the better option between the two right now, but Johnson might have some deep league appeal if Warren is unable to play.

From RotoBaller

Chris Brooks Nov 18 6:30pm CT
Chris Brooks

Green Bay Packers running back Chris Brooks could possibly see a larger role on offense this weekend. Lead back Josh Jacobs (knee) is uncertain to suit up for the Week 12 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. If he sits, Emanuel Wilson is likely to take over as the lead back in Green Bay. That means, Brooks would move up to the primary backup if Jacobs is unavailable. Brooks hasn't played much this season, but that's not surprising for a third string back. He could be worth a look as a desperation flex play if Jacobs is ruled out.

From RotoBaller

Van Jefferson Nov 18 6:20pm CT
Van Jefferson

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Van Jefferson hauled in his first touchdown of the season during last week's game against the Houston Texans. The veteran wideout has been quiet this season, but was able to make an impact this past weekend. Jefferson hauled in three of his seven targets for 22 yards and a touchdown in the loss. The Titans are banged up at wide receiver which could lead to Jefferson having a bigger role moving forward. Calvin Ridley (leg) has already been placed on the injured reserve, but Chimere Dike (chest) is in danger of sitting out in Week 12. If that happens, Jefferson figures to take on a larger workload. Jefferson could offer some low-end flex appeal for fantasy managers desperate for help.

From RotoBaller

Curtis Samuel Nov 18 6:03pm CT
Curtis Samuel

Buffalo Bills WR Curtis Samuel (neck/elbow) did not practice on Tuesday, Nov. 18.

Fantasy Spin: With Keon Coleman out and Khalil Shakir limited to three targets, Samuel matched his season high of two catches in Week 11 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Even though the Bills' wide receiver room seems to be in flux, Samuel shouldn't factor into any shakeup the club might make.

From TheHuddle

Chigoziem Okonkwo Nov 18 6:00pm CT
Chigoziem Okonkwo

Tennessee Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo led the Titans with 56 receiving yards on three catches (three targets) in last week's 16-13 loss to the Houston Texans. It came in a game in which receivers Calvin Ridley (leg), Chimere Dike (chest), and Elic Ayomanor (hamstring) were all injured. Ridley broke his fibula and will miss the rest of the year, a significant development for the Titans' offense the rest of the way. It's unclear if Dike's and Ayomanor's injuries are serious enough to force them to miss time, but even if they can play this weekend against the Seattle Seahawks, Okonkwo and rookie tight end Gunnar Helm should have higher fantasy ceilings. Okonkwo's 56 yards on Sunday were his highest total since Week 3, and he now has multiple catches in three straight games. It's hard to put too much trust in anyone in Tennessee's offense this year, but with Ridley done for the year, it makes Okonkwo a little more intriguing as a TE2 streamer in fantasy leagues. He's rostered in only 16% of Yahoo leagues.

From RotoBaller

David Sills Nov 18 5:50pm CT
David Sills

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Davis Sills V should be in line for more work in Week 12 against the division-rival New Orleans Saints after Drake London (knee) suffered a PCL sprain in the overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Darnell Mooney and tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. should be quarterback Kirk Cousins' top targets for however long London is sidelined, but Sills inevitably should see more looks as well. The 29-year-old caught one of his two targets in the Week 11 loss for 11 yards, which was his second-best game of the year. In his first year in Atlanta, he's only caught four of his nine targets for 34 yards in 10 games, so it would be unreasonable to expect him to suddenly go off in fantasy in the coming weeks with London injured. Still, Sills is worth a look off the waiver wire in deeper leagues for WR depth. He's currently available in 100% of Yahoo leagues.

From RotoBaller

Calvin Ridley Nov 18 5:40pm CT
Calvin Ridley

The Tennessee Titans officially placed wide receiver Calvin Ridley (leg) on season-ending Injured Reserve on Tuesday and signed receiver James Proche II to the active 53-man roster in a corresponding move, according to Jim Wyatt of the team's website. Ridley broke his fibula in Sunday's loss to the Houston Texans and will miss the rest of 2025. In addition to Ridley's injury, rookie wideouts Chimere Dike (chest) and Elic Ayomanor (hamstring) were injured in Week 11 and did not return. It means the Titans' WR corps could be dangerously thin for their Week 12 tilt against the visiting Seattle Seahawks. If Dike and Ayomanor are both unable to play this weekend, it would mean much larger roles for veteran Van Jefferson and Mason Kinsey in the passing game, with tight ends Chig Okonkwo and Gunnar Helm also seeing target boosts.

From RotoBaller

Dalton Schultz Nov 18 5:30pm CT
Dalton Schultz

Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz (shoulder) continues to manage a shoulder injury, but he should be active on Thursday night in Week 12 against the Buffalo Bills after upgrading to a full practice on Tuesday. Schultz was listed as limited on the team's Monday practice estimation. The 29-year-old's shoulder injury has not slowed him down on the field on game days, as he has a nice three-game stretch consisting of 19 catches, 181 yards, and a touchdown on 28 targets. He has had at least eight targets during that span and has seen at least eight targets in four of the last five games. The last two weeks with starting quarterback C.J. Stroud (concussion) sidelined, Schultz has been a nice safety blanket for Davis Mills, catching 13 of 20 targets for 104 yards and his first touchdown of the year. Schultz is trending up going into Thursday's tilt while being on the TE1/2 borderline in fantasy.

From RotoBaller

Odell Beckham Jr. Nov 18 5:20pm CT
Odell Beckham Jr.

Three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was officially reinstated by commissioner Roger Goodell on Tuesday, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Beckham remains a free agent, and it remains to be seen how much attention he'll generate around the league. The 33-year-old veteran was given a six-game suspension in October for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs, but he's now eligible to play again and will look to latch on with a team for the stretch run in 2025. The former 12th overall pick by the New York Giants in 2014 out of LSU spent the last two seasons playing with the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins, where he caught 44 of his 82 targets for 620 yards and only three touchdowns. OBJ had only nine catches for 55 yards and no scores in nine games in 2024 with Miami. At this stage of his career, he'll be more of a long shot to return to the fantasy radar, but that might depend on where he ends up.

From RotoBaller

Nico Collins Nov 18 5:20pm CT
Nico Collins

Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (ankle) should be ready to play on Thursday against the Buffalo Bills after he was listed as a full practice participant on Tuesday. Collins opened the week on Monday listed as limited on the estimated report with a new ankle injury, but it doesn't appear to be serious enough to slow him down going into Week 12 despite the quick turnaround. Even though starting quarterback C.J. Stroud (concussion) will miss his third straight game this week, fantasy managers should not hesitate to start the 26-year-old pass-catcher against Buffalo. Collins has been a top-10 fantasy wideout in terms of half-PPR points per game (12.6) through 11 weeks of the season as Houston's clear WR1. And he's actually been better the last two weeks with Davis Mills running the offense, catching 16 of 25 targets for 228 yards and one touchdown.

From RotoBaller

Kyle Pitts Nov 18 4:10pm CT
Kyle Pitts

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. logged his second straight two-catch performance in Week 11's 30-27 overtimeloss to the Panthers after catching at leastthree passes in each of his first eight games of the season. It wouldseem his involvement is trending downward, however, wide receiver Drake London (knee) will likely miss Week 12, which could be a boon to his target potential. When London missed Week 8 with an injury, Pitts garnered a team-high nine targets, converting all of them into receptions, albeit for just 59 yards. The other good news is that Kirk Cousins was under center for that contest, and Cousins will again be the starter for the Week 12 road matchup against the Saints. Expectationsshould be tempered, though, as Pitts recorded one catch or fewer in five contests with Cousins at the helm last year. There is a wide range of outcomes for the 6-foot-6 tight end in this week's game, but he will still likelybe a low-end TE1 on Sunday.

From RotoBaller

Will Howard Nov 18 4:10pm CT
Will Howard

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said "we'll see" when asked about rookie quarterback Will Howard receiving first-team reps during the week, with Aaron Rodgers (wrist) likely sidelined for their Week 12 matchup against the Chicago Bears. Rodgers has not yet been ruled out for Sunday's game, but he won't practice on Wednesday, and Friday will be the key day for his gameday status. Mason Rudolph is expected to start if Rodgers can't go, but his absence may open up an opportunity for Howard to work with the starting offense during practice. The rookie sixth-rounder out of Ohio State was activated from injured reserve last week after suffering a hand injury before the start of the season. Howard produced big-time numbers in his final collegiate season with the Buckeyes, throwing for 4,010 yards with 35 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 16 games and leading them to a national championship. If Rudolph struggles, we could see Howard make his NFL debut in Week 12.

From RotoBaller

Colston Loveland Nov 18 4:00pm CT
Colston Loveland

Chicago Bears rookie tight end Colston Loveland has seen his role in the offense increase lately, playing at least 60% of the snaps in all but one game since their Week 5 bye. Loveland had his breakout game in Week 9 against the Bengals, catching six of seven targets for 118 yards and two touchdowns. The production has been more modest in the past two weeks, with seven catches for 95 yards on eight targets, but he posted a 75.3% snap share in Week 11 against the Vikings, his highest in a game this season with Cole Kmet active. That number was still a tick behind Kmet for the week, with him playing 78.1% of the snaps, so he isn't overtaking Kmet necessarily, but Chicago used more two-tight-end sets to get them both on the field. The 10th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft has looked dynamic with his opportunities this season and should continue to see more reps, but it is still a crowded offense that will run the ball a lot. Loveland is a great player to roster because of his talent and increased role, but is still tough to trust in lineups for now.

From RotoBaller

Dalton Schultz Nov 18 3:53pm CT
Dalton Schultz

Houston Texans TE Dalton Schultz (shoulder) practiced in full on Tuesday, Nov. 18.

Fantasy Spin: Schultz has been a reliable target for Texans' quarterbacks in 2025. He is coming off a productive week with Davis Mills under center, so with him being the starter again, he is worth playing in your lineup as a low-end TE1.

From TheHuddle

Troy Franklin Nov 18 3:50pm CT
Troy Franklin

Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin has separated himself as the top target earner for the team in recent weeks. Franklin led the Broncos, tied for the team lead in targets, in their 22-19 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11 and led them with 84 receiving yards. The second-year wideout caught multiple long balls for 30+ yard gains, including a 32-yard catch on Denver's final drive to set up the game-winning field goal. Franklin has 34 targets over the last four weeks, tied for fourth most in the league and 12 more than teammate Courtland Sutton in that span. Franklin has established himself as a legitimate fantasy option and should continue to be productive in Week 13 against the Washington Commanders after their Week 12 bye.

From RotoBaller

Denico Autry Nov 18 3:43pm CT
Denico Autry

Houston Texans LB Jamal Hill (hamstring) did not practice on Tuesday, Nov. 18. LB Azeez Al-Shaair (knee, illness), S Jalen Pitre (concussion), QB C.J. Stroud (concussion), LB Will Anderson Jr. (ankle), OT Tytus Howard (ankle, knee), OT Trent Brown (hand, knee), and DL Denico Autry (knee) were limited in practice on Tuesday. QB Davis Milles (elbow), WR Nico Collins (ankle), K Ka'imi Fairbairn (quad), WR Braxton Berrios (quad), CB Myles Bryant (ankle), LB Jake Hansen (elbow), G Ed Ingram (knee), TE Dalton Schultz (shoulder), and TE Cade Stover (foot) practiced in full on Tuesday.

From TheHuddle

Elic Ayomanor Nov 18 3:40pm CT
Elic Ayomanor

Tennessee Titans rookie wide receiver Elic Ayomanor has had a decent rookie season through 10 games, and with Calvin Ridley (leg) suffering a season-ending injury in Week 11 against the Texans, he could be in line for more opportunities. Fellow rookie wideout Chimere Dike also suffered a concussion in the game, leaving Ayomanor and veteran Van Jefferson as the two top wide receivers for Tennessee. Ayomanor has earned a consistent number of targets in every game this season, but the inconsistencies of fellow rookie Cameron Ward, along with his own poor play, have resulted in underwhelming production. The touchdown upside is not high for any player in this offense at the moment, but the rookie fourth-rounder has a good chance to lead the Titans in targets in Week 12 against the Seahawks. Ayomanor is worth adding off the waiver wire if available, but would be a risky play against a stout Seattle defense.

From RotoBaller